Fort Collins First Ever Bike Share!

In Fort Collins we are known for our beer but for a great many of us who live here, another "B" word comes to mind when we think of our home. That word is bikes! The flay layout of the town, the abundance of bikes lanes and trails, and a people with the love of exercise, outdoors, and adventure make for the perfect storm for bike riding bliss! And now, we at Fernweh couldn't be happier about our newest addition to our bike loving culture,a bike sharing program set to expand all over the city! Not only will it bring considerable convenience and merry transport to us residents, it will be an invaluable useful treasure to you the visitors, providing the chance to ride like a local, traverse the streets like a native. With the cooperation, handwork, and much urging by local business and non profits, we proudly present to you Zagster, Fort Collin's first and only bike share programs! This brand new form of public transportation, only days old, combines the freedom, flexibility, and fun of bike travels with the accessibility and convince of public transportation. Currently 16 stations exist in town, all well within biking area of the Fernweh, the closest being only two blocks way from the hostel! This is a small start as the the ultimate goal is to reach 55 stations throughout the city to provide people with the opportunity to bike without restraint, anywhere they want to go in FoCo. And all that for a small membership fee! Wow.

I know what you are thinking, but how, this all sounds crazy and complicated?! But it's not, and I am here to walk you through it so you can put foot to pedal and tread the road in no time! To get started at home, you will need to download the Zagster app or go online to sign up. After signing up and providing your credit card information, you can being to ride, it's that simple. When you are read to go, standing in front of your chosen metal steed, you will ender the code on the bike and tap "START RIDE". You will then be provided with a code for the lock box found on the back of the bike. Inside the lock box you will find a key which will open the U-lock which was keeping your bike safely locked up while it patiently waited for your arrival to take it about town. The lock box code will continue to work throughout your ride so best to throw that in there and off you go! When your ride is done, lock the bike back up to any of the stations around town and tap "END RIDE" on the app and you are done, that's it! As I mentioned, a small membership fee is required, you can chose 24 hours, one week, or an annual membership, but after that, the first half hour is free and then you only pay $2 per hour after. In theory, after the membership, one can ride for free, swapping out bikes before they over the half hour limit.

The app is simple and easy to use. It does offer a map of all bike stations as well as a search bar so you can type in an address or if all the biking has you famished a nearby pizza joint. The website has more in-depth info, also including an interactive map, pricing, instructions, and frequently asked questions/troubleshooting.

So, friends..."Ride on, bicycle army, and remember there's wisdom in a beginner's mind. Let your wheels guide you onward, and handlebars point you in the right direction".. now get out there, be bold, be brave, and grab that bike by its horns...er handlebars!